Professional Fine Art Wedding & Portrait Photographer
It's always a favourite of mine in the summer: tea time. Whether you're inside enjoying a cuppa or outside on a terrace, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, it's always time for tea. Here are some photos from my last afternoon spent in Vancouver this past summer. We were lucky to have tea on a beautiful veranda of very good friends of ours. It was delightful to say the least.
This past summer I worked for Daniela Ciuffa Photography. I learned the basics of lighting, from shooting in studio to shooting natural light. Moreover, I learned a lot about portrait photography, food photography and wedding photography. After three months of working with the fabulous Daniela, I can officially say that I gained lots of experience in the field of photography and cannot wait to put everything I have learned into my last year of uni.
We spent a sunny afternoon shooting delicious homemade food on our patio with food photographer Martin Szabo who is amazing at what he does. My dad made a lot of his favourites (suckling pig belly) and mum her desserts and infamous pizza. The photos speak truly for the food. Everything looked and tasted delicious!
This year's Summerlicious Fashion Shoot took place up at Lynn Valley Headwaters Park. We got up in the morning and left for a half hour journey to the park. We hiked about 20minutes to get to our destination (in their outfits!)
The girls picked colourful summer items. From dresses, to cute shorts and tops. They have gladly shared with you their tips, likes and dislikes of the summer! I introduce to you my friends and lovely models (in order as seen):
Joelle, Talya, Sarah, Kayla, Veronica, Andrea and Denice.
I asked each girl to summarize their style for the summer and what they looked forward to seeing. Plus, they had to pick a fun question to answer, as a little tidbit to get to know them.
I had a hard time picking which ones to post! All the girls were beautifully dressed and had a good time laughing and splashing in the water. Thank you girls so much. You were all amazing and fun to work with!
Talya: During the summer, I always look to my “staple item” to determine my outfit for the day. I tend to keep one item of what I’m wearing solid and simple, and work around that. Whether it’s a nude camisole or black shorts, I like to dress it up or dress it down depending on the occasion! However on the streets, I always have an eye out on all styles, that way if I like it, I try and find a way to incorporate it into my style! Even if it’s wearing a piece of clothing in a different and unexpected way, I like to change things up!
Where is your number 1 summer vacation spot? Anywhere hot and tropical!
Sarah: During the summer, my style is comfortable and easy. On most days I dress pretty casually. Usually you'll see me in a white top paired with a bright or patterned skirt or pair of shorts and sandals. When I want to dress things up a bit I like to pair sundresses with different mixes of accessories. I especially like silver or bold jewelry. One of my favourite summer activities is having a drink on a patio while people watching to see all of the different things that people wear in the summer. I always pay extra attention to their shoes!
What is your favourite thing to eat during the summer? My favourite things to eat during the summer are salads and sushi!
Kayla: Summer is my favorite season of the year and one of the best things about summer are the fun outfits we get to wear! On most days I’m usually just wearing shorts, a T-shirt and my good old $1 Old Navy flip-flops. I tend to stick to solid colours and I especially love wearing white because it’s rare that I have a decent tan, with the exception of these few months! Another highlight of summer are the weddings! I love seeing all of the beautiful outfits that the guests wear. Weddings are the perfect excuse to buy a new dress, and experimenting with different accessories and hairstyles is always fun!
What do you look forward to during the summer? THE BEACH!
Joelle: I would say my style for the summer is fun and casual, and it includes a wide variety of clothes. I'm really into high-waisted shorts and cropped tanks/tees at the moment, and I love to wear denim (shorts, jackets, and vests!) I keep an eye out for tops with cool graphics or images on them because I think that makes an outfit that much more interesting! I like to wear solid coloured blouses and tops, but also have some really cool printed items that I normally pair with wedges when I'm out on the town. During the summer season I love to see the sunglasses that people wear because the sunshine brings out the many different funky designs out there!
What do you look forward to during the summer? Every summer I look forward to hitting the beach and working on my tan :)
Veronica: In the summer, my style completely changes from that in the colder months. During the summer, I have a much more relaxed and laid back approach to my outfit choices. This year, I’m all about denim: shorts and boyfriend jeans specifically. I like to pair them with graphic or printed tees, and a nice pair of sandals. For more special occasions, I’ll usually just throw on a sleeveless blouse in place of my t-shirt. I also love to layer jewelry; you’ll always find me with multiple rings and bracelets stacked halfway up my forearm. In the summer, I always forward to seeing everyone in their bright nail polishes.
What is your favourite thing to eat during the summer? I love eating ice cream on a hot summer’s day!
Andrea: I don't really have a specific style for the summer. But, I tend to reach for maxi dresses/skirts, printed shorts and bright or graphic tanks. I stay pretty casual, and I always like to wear pieces that are comfortable and looser fitting. I usually accessorize with more statement earrings or necklaces to spice things up a little bit. Hmmm...I look forward to all the different kinds of prints and how people choose to pair them this summer season.
What is your favourite thing to eat during the summer? QUINOA SALAD. NOMONOMNOM
Denice: In the summer I usually wear anything that is comfortable and breezy because it's so hot! I tend to go for bright, vibrant colored or shorts with a printed tshirt, although recently ive been looking for cute summery dresses to wear. I accessorize with maybe some bracelets or a long necklace. I usually wear gladiator sandals or my comfy flippy floppies. I look forward to see all the funky bright colour blocking outfits people come up with and how they mix and match them.
Is Summer your favourite season? Yes it is because it's my birthday season!!
Portland was definitely a fun time. I spent five days in the city - traveling to the outlet mall, to wineries, Costco, Target... and a whole lot more. Food trucks are a huge must in Portland - they are famous for them! The Big Egg is definitely a favourite for everyone that I've talked to (and they've been featured on Food Network's television show, Eat St.). This tiny little truck is located about 15 minutes (drive) from downtown. It is a MUST. I had the Portlander (brioche sandwich, toasted, white cheddar, fresh chives and with an over easy, farm egg) and it was amazing. The Arbor Lodge Sandwich was another yummy choice: portobello mushroom, an over easy farm egg, balsamic caramelized onions and baby arugula - all in a ciabatta roll.
My parents are really into checking out food markets wherever we travel to. We walked to the Market district from our hotel, which was a short distance, to find a large market filled with stalls selling vegetables, meats, and more. You HAVE to check out Pine State's Biscuits. If you like your southern favourite of biscuits and gravy, do it.
The city itself is filled with character. Every little neighbourhood had its charms. I loved the Pearl district, as there was shopping and plenty of dining to check out. We had a very good meal at a Vietnamese spot called Silk (named after how the noodles should taste). Very good pho is all I can say.
Be sure to check out Saint Honoré Boulangerie while you're in town. It's a big hit with the locals. Absolutely packed, everyday, and they sell out like hot cakes! It was awesome because we got to watch the entire bakery do their thing. So not only were there sales clerks, but bakers, and patisserie chefs, and everyone else in between. We sat at the "bar" overlooking a baker make baguettes and various breads for the following day. We got to see their pizza oven (which they used to bake their breads). We watched a lady fill up tartlets with lemon curd, and another paint chocolate on top of eclairs. It was such a wonderful experience watching each baker do their specific job and to learn a lot about the making of breads. We indulged in brioche with a poached egg inside, a chicken salad sandwich, and of course a croque monsieur.
The wineries were beautiful - even though it was definitely an hour or two drive out of the city. We visited St. Innocent, Cristom and of course, Domaine Drouhin wineries. It was an experience for myself (as it was my first time doing a proper tasting with my family). It was a fun experience getting to try new wines and what the wineries had to offer.
Five days were more than enough in this small city. If you love to eat and drink - it's just for you. The neighbourhoods are fun to go and explore, and there is plenty of shopping in most districts. Downtown has all the shopping you need. The people are friendly, the restaurants love to serve pork, and everyone is guaranteed a good time!
